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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166205">but doth must suffer a sea-change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fateaccompli/pseuds/fateaccompli'>fateaccompli</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pacific Rim (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Law School, Raleigh and Mako go to law school, but simultaneously I'm not sure Chuck is the pining sort, one-sided Raleigh Becket/Chuck Hansen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:00:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166205</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fateaccompli/pseuds/fateaccompli</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>By the time he chose where to study law, her shadow wasn’t even on his mind. Yet she will define everything that follows.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Raleigh Becket/Mako Mori</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>but doth must suffer a sea-change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegeneralgirl/gifts">thegeneralgirl</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarsaparillia/gifts">sarsaparillia</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>dedication: to Evie, for fleshing these people out with me; Annie, for being my Pacific Rim and KD fangirling friend; to Sara, for proofreading; and to the 95% of all lawyers I know who told me not to go to law school (who I did not listen to).</p><p>This fic began with walking my dog and an image of Raleigh and Mako swearing in to the bar together. It was going to be a short vignette series, but it'll be a little longer and more coherent than that... probably.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p><em>Admitted Students Preview Day</em> – proper noun;</p><p>a spring-ish day when law schools try to convince prospective students that the forty percent of lawyers that they’ve ever met were wrong when they said, “Do. Not. Pass. Go.”</p>
<hr/><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p>
<hr/><p>Boston is not welcoming in early spring, but Raleigh still took his time entering his second choice of law school.</p><p>Last weekend, when he’d debated doing these trips at all – time is money and money is also money - Yancy had stopped him. He said, “Look, I know American is your first choice because they have a strong public defender track record. But Boston is higher ranked than American on average and you never know - you may change your mind while you’re in law school.”</p><p>When Raleigh continued to hesitate, Yancy followed up with the money shot: “They’re also willing to give you more…”</p><p>Raleigh could hear his fingers rubbing together, even over the phone.</p><p>“And you don’t exactly plan on making a whole lot, little brother.”</p><p>“You make me sound crazy.”</p><p>Yancy snorted. “Seems to me you do fine on your own.”</p><p>And now here he was, hand on the door handle of some swanky mid-five figure investment.</p><p>Here he was, indeed. Raleigh shook his head and strolled through the two sets of glass-paned doors into the atrium.</p><p>He only had a few seconds to appreciate how boxy and spacious it was before the man stationed at two long tables leaned toward him. “Good morning! Prospective student?”</p><p> “Ah, yeah, I’m Raleigh Becket – just one ‘t.’”</p><p>The man looked down at his clipboard; Raleigh couldn’t help but notice the collared shirt under his purple sweater was almost as impressively starched as his pants were pressed. The uniform was a bit different than he was used to but close enough in expectations as to be comforting, though the students seated on the couches scattered around the atrium were… relaxed.</p><p>“Welcome to Boston, Raleigh!” The man reached out a hand for him to shake. “I’m Farzad Sadeghi, the associate director of admissions. I hope this cold snap didn’t make your journey too difficult. Did you find the school alright?”</p><p>“Yeah, the school is… very unique in this area.”</p><p>Mr. Sadeghi laughed. “True, the law tower can be seen from downtown. Now, here is your folder – on the left side here, it has basic information about the school. The right side has the schedule for today; it also has information about professors that are on campus this afternoon with office hours. If you have questions about 1L classes, please…”</p>
<hr/><p>Raleigh found himself walking down the hallway behind the table. A large glass room was in front of him, so he felt like he was going in the wrong direction. But no, there were more glass doors with a short walk to a squat building.</p><p>The Charles River, however, was just to the left over a footbridge, diving Cambridge from Boston proper. A stream of honking cars flowed beside the bike path, which had to have a great view of the river. He could see clear across the broad swathe of dark water to Cambridge and then down a ways to a bridge barer than the Longfellow Bridge he’d crossed on the red line. The guidebook sent by the school said that there was an annual regatta on the Charles and that casual kayakers scattered on the water during the summer. If it were a bit warmer, he would feel more tempted to skip the welcome presentation, which probably wouldn’t tell him anything he hadn’t learned from copious googling.</p><p>But it is decidedly <em>not warm</em> and so he walks into the lobby of the auditorium. He’s twenty minutes early, so when he’s finished checking in (again), most of the seats are empty. He chooses to sit in the middle row. Only one person sat in the front row already, he noticed, which stood out on its own. However, although she seemed to be dressed in all-blue, there were the streaks of blue hair that hung in front of her face as she scribbled intently on her legal pad. He wondered what was so important.</p><p>The room remains mostly empty until five minutes before the scheduled starting time, when Raleigh is astonished to find people sitting on either side of him.</p><p>One of them looked a little rough around the edges with a wild look in his eyes. “Chuck Hansen,” he says as he offers a hand.</p><p>“Raleigh Becket.”</p><p>“Where are you from, Raaaaleigh?”</p><p>Raleigh’s eyes narrowed a little at the drawl of his name. Chuck’s grin got wider, nastier, as if he saw some corresponding rash in Raleigh. Maybe Raleigh would decide for sure to go to American and he would never see this Chuck guy again after punching him in his face… but he’d decided to leave his days of following up fights behind him years ago.</p><p>Besides, he had no one nearby to bail him out for battery.</p><p>“A little bit of everywhere,” he said instead. “Yourself?”</p><p>“DC,” Chuck shrugged with a faux modesty Raleigh would know anywhere. “My dad is a judge on the DC Circuit, so we’ve lived there for the past ten years.”</p><p>Raleigh blinked, feeling heat rising up the back of his neck. This was one of the things he had felt awkward about when it came to high-ranked schools: the number of people who already had their foot in this world. Obviously, Raleigh was supposed to be impressed by Chuck “my dad is on the goddamn DC Circuit” Hansen, but why?</p><p>And he knew the cluelessness was painted in the way he chewed the inside of his cheek and shrugged, but Raleigh was an awful liar. Hopefully that didn’t spell a terrible fate as a lawyer? “Good on him? And You? I guess?”</p><p>Chuck didn’t look terribly disappointed that Raleigh didn’t “get it”; the faux modesty just turned into obvious smugness masquerading as helpfulness. Raleigh had met too many Chucks as a military brat to misunderstand who Chuck was. “He was nominated by the president and then confirmed by the Senate. The DC Circuit handles a lot of important cases, especially in administrative law.”</p><p>Raleigh crossed his arms and forced himself to lean back. “Administrative law like… school and hospital administrators?”</p><p>By the look on Chuck’s face, Raleigh knew that, if he chose to go here, someone would definitely punch Chuck Hansen. He couldn’t say it would definitely be him, but there was a non-zero chance his fist and Chuck’s face would become acquainted.</p><p>Before Chuck could give him another reason, though, someone tapped on the mic up front, quieting all conversations. “Good morning, everyone!” the woman said.</p><p>Of course, she made them say it to her again.</p><p>Raleigh sighed but sat up in his seat and pulled out the small notepad from the welcome folder. If he was going to be here, he would get the most out of this.</p>
<hr/><p>Unfortunately, that was not the last Raleigh saw of Chuck – not the last in forever, not even the last for the rest of the day. Chuck followed him and made sneery comments like he was getting paid. Even Raleigh politely rebutting him didn’t get him to stop. Instead, they ate lunch together while a tax professor talked about watching Hamilton – “it’s a pretty easy trip to make from Boston,” he said thoughtfully – around a roast beef sandwich, more ciabatta than beef.</p><p>When he looked over at the bags of remaining sandwiches, considering whether he would eat another, he saw the girl with the blue hair pick up one bag. His gaze followed her to where she sat on the other side of the school’s café. The sunlight from the window of wall struck her highlights, bringing something like spring out on a cloudy day.</p><p>He blinked and turned back to the professor. “Do you know who is in charge of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic, Professor?”</p><p>The professor squinted and sipped at his water bottle. “Ah, I believe – yes, that’s Director Tendo Choi. I believe he’s actually here today.”</p><p>“You interested in PD work, <em>Ra</em>leigh?”</p><p>Raleigh literally swallowed the impulse to step – thoughtfully! – on Chuck’s foot. Out of everyone here, he would be the one to think people interested in defending people who can’t afford someone with specialized training in a complicated legal system are chumps or like being poor.</p><p>But Raleigh just nods and sticks another bite of ciabatta in his mouth.</p><p>“I guess we’ll be competing for spots in the clinic, then.” Chuck sounded like he would relish sticking it to Raleigh more than the spot.</p><p>The tax professor looked distinctly uncomfortable with where Chuck’s rhetoric and muscles seemed to be going, so Raleigh just shrugged and said, “Perhaps,” and turned the topic to the Sox.</p>
<hr/><p>After they completed the group tour of the building, where some of the classrooms overlooked the Charles and a weird brick steppe building across the river, Chuck stuck his hand out. “I have to go meet my old man for dinner, but it was good to meet you. Maybe I’ll see you in the spring.”</p><p>It’s the least inflammatory thing Chuck said since he introduced himself, so Raleigh shook his hand. He still hadn’t made up his mind, but he’d liked the feel of the group at lunch, even with Chuck.</p><p>He was so ready to meet Director Choi that he only vaguely noticed the girl with the blue hair in the next tour group as he made his way to the elevator bank. Earlier, he’d circled Director Choi’s name on the list of professors; his office was on the tenth floor.</p><p>Compared to the atrium and the library (two floors! Of books!), the upper levels of the law tower were quiet. Raleigh couldn’t help wincing at the echo of his knock on the mostly closed (barely open?) door.</p><p>“Come in.” The director had a brisk voice, extremely energized for the post-lunch hour.</p><p>Raleigh pushed the door in, only to stand in the doorway of Director Choi’s office.</p><p>The director pushed away from his computer to greet Raleigh. “Afternoon – what can I do for you, Mr. …?”</p><p>“Becket – Raleigh Becket.”</p><p>They shook hands.</p><p>Raleigh recognized him for a military man, too, though it had obviously been a while since Director Choi had served. The director stood straight and tall with suspenders holding up his slacks. But he was more than a military guy – the bow tie was anything but regulation.</p><p>As Director Choi gestured him to sit in one of his armchairs, Raleigh said, “I’m a prospective student. I’m open to what a career in the law can provide me, but. But I’m fairly certain I want to be a public defender.”</p><p>“Being a public defender is an excellent career – it’s not for everyone, but it’s a wonderful career path.”</p><p>“It seems real fulfilling. I know – I know law school is very expensive and a public defender doesn’t get paid much, but. But I think it’s worth it. I just completed a stint in the Army and I’m looking for what’s next.”</p><p>Tendo leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and fingers threaded. “Army’s quite a commitment. Were you an officer?”</p><p>“Yeah, I left instead of trying to make captain. I’m sure you know – I gained even more than I gave from the experience, but…”</p><p>“You’re looking for something else to pour yourself into? Something meaningful?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Raleigh looked around the office, with its off-white internal walls and the wall of window to Tendo’s back. He could watch the Charles sweep downtown and under the Longfellow Bridge with its towers carved into granite prows of Viking ships, the slight gold of the statehouse. “I’m just not sure this school is the place for me, sir – it feeds many BigLaw firms, right?”</p><p>“It does take pride in that, but that is not the only path here. Our Wrongful Conviction Clinic is very competitive – not because we have limited seats but because more people want in than we can accommodate. 2L and 3L students get their feet wet on the first day of class, after orientation.” Director Choi crossed his ankle over his other knee. “What other schools are you looking at?”</p><p>“American.”</p><p>Tendo nodded, not looking surprised. “Very strong public defender program.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“You don’t have to answer this, but are you getting more financial aid there?”</p><p>Raleigh shrugged. “It’s comparable.”</p><p>“Well, the decision is of course up to you, but…” Director Choi gazed intently at him. “Different schools offer access to different kinds of resources. Some of these may be as mundane as printing. There is also the matter of access to alumni and other networking opportunities. I’m not sure if you know many lawyers – many of our students don’t – but networking matters in things like getting a clerkship. While not a permanent position, clerkships let you get to know a particular judge and practice area really well, so they’re very prestigious and help with future employment. Our track record is very good on clerkships. Does that make sense?”</p><p>Raleigh pulls out his notebook and scrolls “clerkship” at the end of “To Google.” “I think so.”</p><p>“Additionally, I would advise you consider that, just as many people change their major at least once in undergrad, people change their mind about what practice area they want to work in. While American is exceptional in specific areas, including criminal law and international law, we are a very well-recognized school in terms of not only the basic legal principles but also experiential learning. After graduating from here, you will have flexibility in your options and strength in your capabilities.”</p><p>Finding himself nodding along, Raleigh breathed out slow. “Thank you, Director Choi –”</p><p>“Tendo.”</p><p>“Tendo. Thank you for your advice… You’ve given me a lot more to think about. Can we talk more about your clinic?”</p><p>Tendo grinned and spread his hands. “Hit me.”</p>
<hr/><p>Half an hour later, Raleigh was pulling his jacket over his shoulders as he pushed his way outside. The sky was a tight gray as it lightly snowed around him. Looking up at the law tower, he wondered what it would look like come August instead of “spring” break, when chatty freshmen and harried law students stormed campus. He considered everything – the cheerful administration, Chuck, lunch, the folder full of stats that had been elegantly waved at all day, the Charles, the Esplanade, the T...</p><p>Well, almost everything.</p><p>But it was enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Raleigh's conversation with Tendo is reminiscent of my first conversation with one of my favorite law school professors when I was deciding between schools. I'm not sure she recognized me months later, but over my three years in law school, she always gave very thoughtful advice and was such a human person. I should email her...</p><p>More Mako starting in the next chapter.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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